It is known to provide electronic article surveillance systems in which detecting devices are installed at the exits of retail stores. EAS markers that are detectable by the detecting devices are secured to articles of merchandise that are to be protected from theft. When a customer pays for an article of merchandise, the EAS marker secured to the article of merchandise is either removed or deactivated according to known techniques. The article can then be carried past the detecting devices without actuating an alarm.
Articles of merchandise in the form of bottles, and particularly wine bottles or other beverage bottles, present particular challenges in terms of securing EAS markers to the bottles. For the most part, EAS markers are provided in a form that is suitable for attachment to a large flat surface, such as the cover of a jewel case for a compact disc, or in a device that is attachable to soft goods, such as clothing. A wine bottle, however, lacks flat surfaces to which conventional EAS markers can be readily attached and does not provide for easy attachment as with clothing.
French Patent Application No. 2,703,659 ("'659 French Application") proposes a bottle cap arrangement for a wine bottle, with an anti-theft circuit mounted in the cap arrangement at a position above the opening of the bottle. More particularly, the anti-theft circuit is sandwiched between the upper surface of a disk that covers the opening of the bottle and a circular base of a capsule that covers the disk as well as the neck of the bottle. This anti-theft circuit shown in the '659 French Application, however, appears to be incompatible with the most widely installed types of EAS detection equipment, and also appears to be of a type that would be masked and rendered ineffective if the top of the bottle is covered with metal foil or metal cap, as is often done with champagne and wine. Furthermore, the anti-theft circuit is limited to its placement between the disk covering the opening of the bottle and the circular base of the capsule.
French Patent No. 95 12402 ("'402 Patent"), issued to Dameme and commonly assigned with the present application, also proposes an arrangement for protecting a bottle from theft, but unlike the '659 French Application, uses an electronic article surveillance marker mounted in a bottle cover covering the top and neck of a bottle. Such a bottle protection arrangement, however, may not protect a bottle from theft if the bottle cover is torn revealing the EAS marker or the bottle cover and marker are removed from the bottle. This arrangement also is not suitable for protecting bottles that are sold without covers.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improved technique for securing an EAS marker to a bottle to be protected from theft.
It is a more particular object of the invention to provide a technique for integrating in a cap or lid of a bottle an EAS marker that is compatible with an installed base of EAS detection equipment.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a technique for integrating an EAS marker in a cap or lid of a bottle so as to decrease the marker's visibility.